Zani's Resolve

"I didn't see anything."

Zani covered her eyes and turned around faster than she ever had in her life, lifting a foot to head out.

Was this some kind of joke? She had caught the second miss and young master doing that sort of thing in a room. The less she knew about it, the longer she would live.

But she had barely taken two steps when she felt someone grab her by the back of her collar.

Judging by her many years of combat experience, the force and angle of the hand definitely didn't belong to Carlotta-even if the second miss jumped, she couldn't reach the back of Zani's collar.

That left only the giant.

"Trying to run?" Kexi's voice came from above her.

Zani cursed ten thousand times in her heart, but forced the standard smile expected of a professional secretary onto her face and turned around stiffly.

Carlotta had already gotten to her feet. Without a change in expression, she straightened her skirt and brushed nonexistent dust off herself. The blush on her face had yet to fade completely, but her bearing had already returned to the level of the "second miss of the Montelli family."

"Zani." She spoke in a frighteningly calm voice.

"Yes, ma'am." Zani stood at attention, hands at her sides, her posture perfect enough for a military parade.

"What did you see at the door just now?"

"Reporting to the second miss, I didn't see anything." Zani stared straight ahead and spoke with absolute certainty. "Rest assured, second miss, I won't breathe a word of it."

She silently added, I'll post it online. Occupational habit. I can't help it.

Carlotta clearly didn't believe her. She knew Zani too well. Or rather, she knew Zani, after being led astray by Kexi, too well.

This woman had built the Montelli intelligence network single-handedly. If the biggest gossips in all of Ragunna were ranked, and Zani came second, no one would dare claim first.

How well she kept her mouth shut depended entirely on how explosive the secret was-and today's secret was definitely nuclear-bomb level.

"We just had a little disagreement," Carlotta said, deciding to lay some groundwork first.

"Mm-hmm, I know." Zani nodded vigorously.

"Those things were broken by accident."

"Mm-hmm, I understand." Zani was nodding so fast she was practically vibrating.

"What you saw just now was... was an accident." Even Carlotta had trouble continuing. The splits were an accident? That was an accident too? Not even a ghost would believe that explanation.

Sure enough, Zani looked as though she understood. "Mm-hmm, you don't need to explain, second miss. I understand."

What do you understand? That look in your eyes says you've clearly understood something you shouldn't have!

Carlotta took a deep breath and decided to stop struggling. She couldn't explain this away, so she would change tactics.

"Kexi, get her!"

Kexi had been thoroughly enjoying the show from the sidelines. Suddenly called upon, he froze. "Huh? Get where?"

"Get on her."

The air froze again.

Kexi's eyes slowly widened. His mouth opened and closed, then closed and opened, like a fish washed ashore. His gaze bounced between Carlotta and Zani as the filth processor in his brain began running wild.

Get on her? Which kind of get on? The verb get on, or the verb get on? Second sis, that's ambiguous! Besides-he looked at Zani's face, which was full of terror-isn't that a bit much? Zani really is pretty, though, and her figure is... ptoo, ptoo, ptoo, what am I thinking?

Zani reacted even more strongly than he did. She stumbled back three steps until her back hit the wall, her hands shielding her chest. Her professional smile finally cracked. "Second miss, please don't! I didn't mean to catch you having an affair-no, a romance-no, I didn't mean to see it! Please have mercy. I swear I absolutely won't tell anyone!"

"Zani." Carlotta's voice suddenly softened, so much so that it made Zani's skin crawl. "You've been with the Montelli family for so many years. The family hasn't treated you badly, has it?"

Here it comes, here it comes. She's playing on my feelings. Sweat began to bead on Zani's forehead. "No, second miss. Your kindness to me is as great as a mountain."

"Good." Carlotta nodded in satisfaction and took a step forward. Zani slid half an inch down the wall. "Now it's time for you to make a contribution to the family."

A trace of tragic resolve flashed in Zani's eyes. She took a deep breath, straightened her back, and spoke in the tone of someone about to march to the execution grounds. "Rest assured, second miss. Whether I have to climb a mountain of blades or plunge into a sea of fire, I, Zani, won't even flinch."

"Very good, Zani. I'm gratified that you have such resolve." The corners of Carlotta's lips curved upward. "Then, now, offer up your-"

"I refuse!"

Zani's voice was so shrill that even the birds outside the window took flight in fright.

She yanked off her neckerchief, an expression of defiance unto death on her face. "Second miss, I, Zani, sell my skills, not my body! If you insist on this, then I'll have no choice but to leave the Montelli family!"

In the room, the two women stared at each other from a distance, one imposing, the other prepared to die. The air seemed to crackle with electricity, and a great battle was about to erupt.

Just then, a faint voice came from the side:

"If no money changes hands, it doesn't count as selling, right?"

Kexi regretted saying it as soon as the words left his mouth. Two pairs of eyes turned to him at once, each one saying, "Are you asking to die?"

He shrank back and put on a harmless smile. "Uh, carry on."

Carlotta shot him a vicious glare and turned back to Zani. Looking at Zani's expression of defiance unto death, she suddenly sighed, a trace of helpless amusement in her voice.

"Zani, it's not what you think."

"Then what is it?" Zani remained pressed against the wall, poised to bolt through the door at any moment.

"I want you to give your Resonance Power to Kexi."

"Huh?" Zani blinked. The turn of events was so sudden that her brain hadn't yet switched out of the "being subjected to the casting couch" scenario.

"You know," Carlotta explained patiently, "Kexi's Resonance Ability is to borrow power.

"He kissed Cantarella once and was able to sync with her Resonance Power. If he wants to grow stronger quickly, he needs multiple sources of power.

"You saw it at Porto-Vino Castle last time. In that situation, he had no ability to protect himself at all.

"If he can borrow a few more people's Resonance Power, then the next time he faces Cantarella, at least he won't be captured on the spot."

She paused there, her tone growing serious. "Zani, you're the person I trust most. Your Resonance Power is strong, and its attributes are stable. You're one of the best candidates for him to practice with.

"Cantarella told him to visit Porto-Vino Castle once every seven days. The next visit is next week.

"Before then, he has to master at least one more person's Resonance Power."

Her explanation was sound and well reasoned, and Zani's tense expression finally began to ease.

She slowly slid down from the wall, patted her chest, and let out a long breath.

"So that's what this is about. You should've said so earlier." She wiped the sweat from her forehead and smiled like someone who had just survived a disaster.

"So that's what this is about. What a shame," Kexi muttered quietly beside them.

Two pairs of eyes turned to him at once again. He immediately looked up at the ceiling and began studying the workmanship of the chandelier.

Zani looked away, her signature unruffled smile returning to her face. "So, second miss, you want the young master to absorb Resonance Power from my Tacet Mark? Like he did with Cantarella last time?"

"That's right." Carlotta nodded, then seemed to remember something, and her expression grew a little odd. "But this time there's no need to be as... as extreme as last time. There's no need to-" She choked on her words, evidently unwilling to recall that scene again.

Zani, however, was quite forthcoming and nodded. "I understand. A little thing like that is nothing."

Carlotta's pupils shook. "Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?! Stop, put your clothes back on!"